"Your aunt is a clever woman in spite her blunder about you; and had I
dealt with her only I should have thought that she might have expressed
herself as she did, and still have had the paper in her own keeping. I
could not read her mind as I could read his. Women will lie better than
men."
"But men can lie too," said Nina.
"Your cousin Ziska is a fool."
"He is a fox," said Nina.
"He is a fool in comparison with his mother. And I had him in my own
house, under my thumb, as it were. Of course he lied. Of course he
tried to deceive me. But, Nina, he believes that the document is here--
in your house. Whether it be there or not, Ziska thinks that it is
there."
"Ziska is more fox than fool," said Nina.
"Let that be as it may. I tell you the truth of him. He thinks it is
here. Now, Nina, you must search for it."
"It is not there, Anton. I tell you of my own knowledge, it is not in
the house. Come and search yourself. Come to-morrow. Come to-night, if
you will."
"It would be of no use. I could not search as you can do.
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